Fulmer: Rent Publicity Mishandled

June 06, 1985|The Morning Call

A statement released through Harold G. Fulmer III's managementcompany yesterday fell short of answering why Fulmer is discontinuing his rental assistance program for the elderly, but the statement claimed one of the program's administrators is wrongly handling publicity about the termination.

Lutheran Services of the Lehigh Valley, which has been screening applicants for the rent assistance program started by Fulmer in 1981, this week notified residents in three Allentown area apartment complexes that they no longer will receive the $100-a-month subsidies.

Lutheran Services claimed this week in letters to the residents that Fulmer has failed to honor an "agreement" with Lutheran Services and Good Shepherd Home to provide a one-year notice before termination of the program.

The following statement was released yesterday on Fulmer's behalf by HGF Group, Fulmer's management company:

"At this point we feel someone from Lutheran Services has unfortunately mishandled this situation. Until we can talk to the proper people in authority from both Lutheran Services and the Good Shepherd, who, in spite of our attempts, were unable to meet today, we feel that any comment we would make would be premature."

The statement continued, "Were it not for the derogatory things that had been said, this would almost be humorous in that certain individuals involved in a charity are chastising the originator and sole donor of over $500,000 to this program over the past several years."

An HGF staff member said Fulmer has declined to answer further questions on the subsidy termination but that he would make more information available later this week.

Fulmer was offering the subsidies in a total 120 units in Alexandria Gardens behind the Mountainville Shopping Center, Prospect Place apartments in Salisbury Township and Hillside Gardens in Allentown.

The Rev. Dale Sandstrom, Good Shepherd Home administrator, and Lutheran Services Executive Director Shirley Lucore, both of whom worked out the subsidy agreement with Fulmer in 1981, were out of town and unavailable for comment.